Conjunctival Impression Cytology and Dry Eye in Patients With Ulcerative Colitis: A Pilot Study

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare signs of dry eye between ulcerative colitis (UC) patients and healthy subjects. Methods: Fifteen patients with UC (group 1) and 15 healthy subjects (group 2) were enrolled in this study. Tear volume measurement, Schirmer-I test with no anesthetic, tear break-up time, and conjunctival impression cytology (CIC) were evaluated in both groups. Results: Patients with UC showed lower tear volumes when compared with healthy subjects (P<0.05). There was a statistically significant difference in distribution of CIC grades between groups 1 and 2 (P<0.05). Tear break-up time and Schirmer-I measurements were significantly lower in group 1 compared with group 2 (P<0.05). Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that UC is associated with demonstrable disturbances in tear function and conjunctival cytology.